Have you ever felt very tired and sore in a lot of areas of your body the day after a game? You are not alone every soccer/football player has felt the same feeling it’s very common. You may be wondering how you can avoid these things. Of course, stretching is a big part that can help, but there is another thing also.
What You Are Putting In Your Body Post Game
Let's Start With Fluids
After a game, your body needs some fuel to run normally after you just exerted all of that energy. You lose a lot of electrolytes through sweat and they have to be replenished. The fluids you put in your body can help you recover faster and keep you hydrated, which is very important for any athlete!
Many athletes tend to drink sports drinks. Sports drinks are designed to provide energy and replace electrolytes. While these drinks are beneficial, they contain a lot of sugar and sodium. They are also low in protein as well. Some healthier alternatives can be a better choice.
Alternatives to sports drinks that are healthier options include things like orange juice and coconut water. Both of these have relatively the same amount of carbohydrates as a sports drink however, they have more protein and less sodium.
Lastly, I highly recommend chocolate milk and regular milk for a post-game drink. Milk contains nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D that can help you recover. Milk after exercise also promotes greater gains in muscle protein which is important in repairing damage caused by the exercise itself.
Meal
After the game, athletes should eat a high-protein meal. This helps repair muscle damage from the high-intensity workout. This should be eaten 30 to 45 minutes after the workout.
What are some good high-protein meals?
Pasta and Meatballs
Grilled Chicken with Vegetables, and Rice
Sandwiches/Wraps with Meat and Vegetables
Burrito with Rice, Vegetables, and Meat
If Vegan/Vegetarian any of these without Meat would be good as well. However, I would suggest adding a high-protein snack on the side.
Snacks
It is common especially for club soccer teams to have multiple games in one day. If that is the case there might not be time to have a whole meal. This is why I wanted to bring this up in the post-game snack portion of this blog. Regardless of the game timing, you still want to look to eat something within 30-45 mins after.
Of course, that's not the only scenario in which you can have a post-game snack. It can be had before a big meal or after as well.
What are some good post-game snacks?
Trail Mix
Banana/Apple/Orange
Yogurt
Granola or Protein Bars
I hope after reading this you came away with some good learning points! Of course, if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them down below. Training hard is not the only important thing to be the best player you can be. Remember that "you are what you eat." What you put in your body can be the difference between having an Okay vs. a Great performance.
How We Can Help:
At FuturElitez Soccer, not only we highlight the physical preparation for becoming a better soccer player; We also highlight the importance of nutrition. We inform all of our players and parents, on the importance of nutrition.
And In Case You Missed It... you can read our blog about Pre Game Nutrition, down below!